The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-07-29
RIG AMEalcAM sYsIeM

the AMERICAN SYSTEM
oens historical fseGs ~ he Yosng
felitieisas q The Prsssss nay.
This was the main plank in the plat
form Of ~ noble and patriotic party
as ever graced American politics 1t
was when Henry Clay and Daniel
Webster were in their prime. and
when they threw all their powerful
talents and influence for q policy which
has been mainly influential in bring
ing all the real prosperity our country
has ever enjoyed. And the principles
Of that system are now too much neg
lectcd. and its benefits persistently de-
nicd- The protective policy of the
United States. with its strong claims
upon the support of the American peo-
pie. is now sufficiently impressed upon
the new voters who are coming for
ward. The history of this country
demonstrates that the only time we
have been on the ascending scale rs a
nation has been when we had pro-
tective tariff And on the contrary.
when our tariffs have been reduced it
has been as certainly followed by the
disorganization of all branches of BUSH
ness From the year 1924 to the pres
ent time, owing to the parties and poll
icics which have prevailed in our Gov
eminent, there has been a constant
see-saw with high tariffs and partial
free trade. And the continuance and
stability of our tariff since 1861 has
brought us the National prosperity Mt
present which is astonishing. bewilder-
ing and terrifying all civilized nations.
Throug hout the history of our Gov
eminent there has been war between
protection and free trade. the South
protection. Until recently
they have had no manufactures.
mines, mills or shops They raised
cotton for the European market more
particularly than now. They wanted
no protection. They claimed then. as
now. that 1t was prejudicial to
their interests So soon as the
tariff was adopted they COM
menced to raise . storm. It
was this question that brought on the
unrivalled forensic combat between
Webster and Hayne in the Senate IF
the United States. The war on the
tariff eliminated in the notification
acts Of 1882. when South Carolina
tried to get out of the Union. and If we
had not had that brave old hero.
Andrew jackson. in the Presidential
chair, it is probable We would have.
had the rebellion in 1882 instead of 1861.
But the notification of South Caro-
lima frightened Clay, if it did not
Jackson. And now comes the great
error of Clay's life. 1t was the COM
promise of the tariff in 1888 to appease
the South. In fact, Clay was guilty of
two follies: The tariff compromise
and the Missouri compromise. The
modifying of the tariff Of 1924 was a
virtual surrender of all tariff for pro-
lection. 1t was q tariff for revenue
against protection. Up
to this period the protective tariff had
been in operation for nine years. in
which the revenue had paid our debts,
the expenses of the Government, and
had a large surplus left, which by act
of Congress was distributed among
the several States.
January 1. 1884. the compromise tar
III went into operation, and soon all
business went to destruction. As in
the beginning of the operation of tar
III Its effects can not be SO easily seen
for three or four years, so with the de-
struction of q protective tariff the Ma
tional blight comes gradually but sure
ly. The business, banks and manu-
factories struggled manfully through
three years of gathering gloom. aided.
however. by the millions Of surplus
revenue which the National Govern
ment distributed to the States. But
the blight on all branches of business
was visible. like the gathering gloom
of the coming eclipse of the sun.
1t eliminated early in 1887 in
the suspension of all of the banks Of
the United States, the bankruptcy Of
nearly all business men, and the sus-
pension of nearly all factories. Real
and personal property deprecated in
value. so that it was not worth one
fourth what it was ut the date of the
This was the necessary
and direct result of the free-trade pol
icy under the administration Of jack
son and Martin Van Buren,. The
United States treasury. which was
under the ripe fruits Of the
Tariff Of 1924. was 50 depleted and dis
credited under Tyler that he could not
obtain his salary. but had to resort to
the brokers to sell his warrants ON the
treasury ut heavy discounts.
But the suicidal policy Of the free
trade party which had brought the
from the pinnacle Of prosper
ity down to want and beggary. was
swept away by political tornado in
1910. unparalleled in the history of
political parties. 1t would seems that
the lesson thus taught by the people
should have been q lasting lesson TO
all politicians. With the incoming Of
the Wing administration. the Senate
and House of Representatives were
restored to the control of the
friends of the American system.
In 1912. the darkest period for
American industry and prosperity
we have ever experienced. a new pro-
tective tariff was enacted. better one.
- L. a10A IT,